J-Source

When enough is enough

Press gallery journalists across the nation are calling for an end to Harper’s history of information control. Photojournalists, documentary filmmakers and scientists are among those suffering the chill. Even the Taxpayers are ticked.         A joint op-ed calls on journalists to report refusals and delays as news, and editors to turn down proffered pap. In recent…

Press gallery journalists across the nation are calling for an end to Harper’s history of information control. Photojournalists, documentary filmmakers and scientists are among those suffering the chill. Even the Taxpayers are ticked.        

A joint op-ed
calls on journalists to report refusals and delays as news, and editors to turn
down proffered pap. In recent weeks, enterprising journalists have dug up some
great examples of info control, reporting on heavily scripted message
streams on Afghanistan
, including crafted quotes for returning aid workers.

For your viewing pleasure, examples of the now-infamous Message Event Proposals are posted here. Anna Maria Tremonti’s ‘request count‘ is still ticking – to date, The Current has bagged six interviews with federal politicians, and 43 refusals. When the Tyee’s reporter was barred from an event, he made it a story.

Back in 2007, Sharda Vaidyanath predicted an upside to a worsening relationship, leading to more enterprising reporting.

So far, though, the government response is clear: “Let them eat lakes!”

Press gallery journalists across the nation are calling for an end to Harper's history of information control. Photojournalists, documentary filmmakers and scientists are among those suffering the chill. Even the Taxpayers are ticked.        

A joint op-ed calls on journalists to report refusals and delays as news, and editors to turn down proffered pap. In recent weeks, enterprising journalists have dug up some great examples of info control, reporting on heavily scripted message streams on Afghanistan, including crafted quotes for returning aid workers.

For your viewing pleasure, examples of the now-infamous Message Event Proposals are posted here. Anna Maria Tremonti's 'request count' is still ticking – to date, The Current has bagged six interviews with federal politicians, and 43 refusals. When the Tyee's reporter was barred from an event, he made it a story.

Back in 2007, Sharda Vaidyanath predicted an upside to a worsening relationship, leading to more enterprising reporting.

So far, though, the government response is clear: "Let them eat lakes!"

Patricia W. Elliott is a magazine journalist and assistant professor at the School of Journalism, University of Regina. You can visit her at patriciaelliott.ca.